Don’t Call it Stretching.

One of the themes I read about often is the promotion of stretching as a means to prevent injury at work. The related images with these articles typically show a group of workers engaged in diverse versions of the demonstrated stretch. (In the language of safety - stretch “as planned” is quite different from stretch “as done”). Programs that focus on the importance of physical preparation can be a catalyst for increased awareness of healthy movement, working within our abilities and identifying physical hazards (think Physical Literacy).

I want to highlight a few considerations for organizations that want to embark on a stretching program or feel it is time to review their program;

➜ Change Management. Who will complete the necessary training? Who will support and lead the stretches? How will the stretching fit into the day? How is the program going to be marketed internally to showcase the benefits?
➜ Specificity. Will this be a general stretch for everyone or will it be specific to the work tasks and the abilities of the workers? If it is not possible to connect an exercise to a work task, find a different exercise. (See the image for an example of connecting an exercise to the relevant tasks.)
➜ Progressions. Are there plans to create variety in the program - not only for the sake of maintaining engagement but also to progress as dictated by the skill of the group.
➜ Preparing for Work. Don’t call it stretching. The term isn’t very engaging and has too many meanings. Try a custom term for your organization (like [Company Name] Athletes) and focus on warm-up and work preparation as the key messaging. Static stretching has its place but dynamic exercises that encourage proper movement patterns are preferred.
➜ Quality. Make sure everyone is doing the exercises properly and has the abilities to perform them. Check in as needed to confirm quality. Remember - perfect practice makes improvement.

The goal is not injury prevention (although that is a desired outcome). The goal is to practice good movement so that workers get their bodies prepared for healthy movement habits throughout their work tasks.

If you have people in your organization using their bodies for their work (that would be everyone!), then preparing - and recovering - from work tasks can be an important part of your overall approach to creating the right environment for your people to perform at their best.